In 2015, the Japanese general trading companyItochu and its Thai cross-shareholding affiliate Charoen Pokphand announced an investment of over $8 billion in CITIC group companies, the largest investment ever made by a Japanese general trading company.[2] The transaction is also the largest acquisition in China by a Japanese company, and the largest investment by foreigners in a Chinese state-owned enterprise.[3]

Its subsidiary, CITIC Pacific, made unauthorized bets on the foreign currency market in October 2008 and lost HK$14.7 billion (US$1.9 billion, when accounted for in mark-to-market terms). Senior executives such as Financial Controller Chi Yin Chau and Group Finance Director Leslie Chang resigned.[6][7][8] Its stock price plunged 55.1 percent upon the resumption of trade.[9]